Gambling in Tennessee – Slots Machines in Tennessee

Gambling in Tennessee

You thought that because Elvis Presley was born here, you are also going to be rocking and rolling in casinos. You’re wrong. In fact, there’s no casino at all in Tennessee. It is one of the few states that don’t have any form of legal gambling. There are also no clear policies, so you’re really not sure if you’re already committing a crime or not.

To give you some idea on what we’re talking about, read the following gambling laws of the state:

You are not allowed to own any slot machine. If you’re moving here, expecting to bring with you those slot machines that have been passed on from generation to generation, well, you’re in for a very big disappointment. No one is allowed to own one, and the government doesn’t really care if they are new or old (and non-functional) slot machine. Your best option, if you have one, is to sell it to someone who’s living in a state where there are more lenient laws on slot machine ownerships.

No one is allowed to set up a casino. The main reason why until now there are no casinos in Tennessee is the fact that no one is permitted to do so in the first place. If they decide to push their luck, they are surely going to be met by a lot of opposition, even from the government itself.
This is also why most of the Tennessee residents would travel all the way to Kentucky, Mississippi, and Missouri, to gamble. Of course, since casino establishments are completely not allowed, you are also prohibited to own any type of gaming device, such as an electronic table.

Horse racing is permitted. You do have another option for your betting desire. You can bet on horse races. There are a number of race tracks that are found in the state. The important thing you have to keep in mind is that the horse track and the race itself are duly licensed by the gaming commission. Otherwise, they are also illegal. There are no clear rules when it comes to dog races. If you aren’t sure, you can ask the gaming agency, just to be safe.

Lottery is also okay. If it wasn’t for the fact that the state may require more economic funds to support its projects, Tennessee would also not have any lottery. It was only in June 2003 when residents of the state are allowed to make bets on their favorite numbers, which would hopefully give them thousands to millions of dollars.

Social gambling is not allowed. You cannot hold private gambling sessions. This means that a simple poker or blackjack game could put you in grave trouble. Worse, if you have been caught doing this for more than one time, you can already be accused of aggravated gambling, the punishment of which is a felony or jail time of more than one year.

This doesn’t mean that Tennessee is such an awful place. It’s just that when gambling is your thing, you could have better luck in other states.